Eric McNair
Born: 4/12/1909 in Meridian, MS, USA
Died: 3/11/1949 in Meridian, MS, USA
MLB Debut: 1929-09-20 | Final Game: 1942-09-19
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'8" | Weight: 160 lbs
Full name: Donald Eric McNair
Biography
Eric McNair was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball, whose career spanned from 1929 to 1942. Born in 1909, McNair made his mark in the game during an era that was transitioning from the Deadball Era into a more offensively focused period. Over the course of his career, he played in 1,251 games, accumulating 1,240 hits which contributed to a solid batting average of .274. Known for his consistent hitting and offensive contributions, McNair recorded 82 home runs and drove in 633 runs, establishing himself as a reliable run producer for his teams.
In addition to his power at the plate, McNair showcased his speed on the bases, stealing 59 bases throughout his career. His ability to combine solid hitting with base running skills made him a valuable asset in the lineup. McNair's contributions to the game were significant, as he played during a crucial time in baseball history, navigating the challenges and changes of the sport leading up to World War II. His legacy is remembered by fans and historians as that of a skilled player who excelled in multiple facets of the game.
Negro Leagues Career Statistics
Batting
| PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16.0 | 15.0 | 4.0 | 7.0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.467 | 0.500 | 0.733 | 1.233 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1935 | 16.0 | 15.0 | 4.0 | 7.0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.467 | 0.500 | 0.733 | 1.233 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1251 | 4519 | 592 | 1240 | 229 | 29 | 82 | 633 | 59 | 261 | 328 | 0.274 | 0.318 | 0.392 | 0.710 | -3663.8 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1929 | PHA | AL | 4 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.500 | 0.0 |
| 1930 | PHA | AL | 78 | 237 | 27 | 63 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 34 | 5 | 9 | 19 | 0.266 | -975.7 |
| 1931 | PHA | AL | 79 | 280 | 41 | 76 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 33 | 1 | 11 | 19 | 0.271 | -425.8 |
| 1932 | PHA | AL | 135 | 554 | 87 | 158 | 47 | 3 | 18 | 95 | 8 | 28 | 29 | 0.285 | 774.8 |
| 1933 | PHA | AL | 89 | 310 | 57 | 81 | 15 | 4 | 7 | 48 | 2 | 15 | 32 | 0.261 | -98.3 |
| 1934 | PHA | AL | 151 | 599 | 80 | 168 | 20 | 4 | 17 | 82 | 7 | 35 | 42 | 0.280 | -187.3 |
| 1935 | PHA | AL | 137 | 526 | 55 | 142 | 22 | 2 | 4 | 57 | 3 | 35 | 33 | 0.270 | -1099.3 |
| 1936 | BOS | AL | 128 | 494 | 68 | 141 | 36 | 2 | 4 | 74 | 3 | 27 | 34 | 0.285 | -530.4 |
| 1937 | BOS | AL | 126 | 455 | 60 | 133 | 29 | 4 | 12 | 76 | 10 | 30 | 33 | 0.292 | 519.9 |
| 1938 | BOS | AL | 46 | 96 | 9 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0.156 | -865.4 |
| 1939 | CHW | AL | 129 | 479 | 62 | 155 | 18 | 5 | 7 | 82 | 17 | 38 | 41 | 0.324 | 808.9 |
| 1940 | CHW | AL | 66 | 251 | 26 | 57 | 13 | 1 | 7 | 31 | 1 | 12 | 26 | 0.227 | -639.5 |
| 1941 | DET | AL | 23 | 59 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0.186 | -341.7 |
| 1942 | DET | AL | 26 | 68 | 5 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0.162 | -399.2 |
| 1942 | PHA | AL | 34 | 103 | 8 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 5 | 0.243 | -399.2 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | WS | PHA | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
| 1930 | WS | PHA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 3 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2B | 288 | 0 | 627 | 806 | 53 | 164 |
| 3B | 220 | 0 | 217 | 399 | 51 | 43 |
| OF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SS | 669 | 0 | 1269 | 1879 | 168 | 399 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1929 | PHA | SS | 4 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 1930 | PHA | 2B | 5 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 1930 | PHA | 3B | 29 | 0 | 36 | 43 | 6 | 2 |
| 1930 | PHA | SS | 31 | 0 | 57 | 61 | 11 | 10 |
| 1930 | PHA | OF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1931 | PHA | 2B | 16 | 0 | 35 | 43 | 3 | 15 |
| 1931 | PHA | 3B | 47 | 0 | 43 | 86 | 12 | 15 |
| 1931 | PHA | SS | 13 | 0 | 19 | 26 | 4 | 6 |
| 1932 | PHA | SS | 133 | 0 | 242 | 391 | 31 | 89 |
| 1933 | PHA | 2B | 27 | 0 | 56 | 73 | 8 | 10 |
| 1933 | PHA | SS | 46 | 0 | 113 | 143 | 9 | 29 |
| 1934 | PHA | SS | 151 | 0 | 305 | 489 | 41 | 109 |
| 1935 | PHA | 1B | 2 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1935 | PHA | 3B | 11 | 0 | 20 | 18 | 1 | 1 |
| 1935 | PHA | SS | 121 | 0 | 232 | 346 | 27 | 78 |
| 1936 | BOS | 2B | 35 | 0 | 92 | 89 | 5 | 19 |
| 1936 | BOS | 3B | 11 | 0 | 9 | 27 | 4 | 1 |
| 1936 | BOS | SS | 84 | 0 | 171 | 230 | 14 | 47 |
| 1937 | BOS | 1B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1937 | BOS | 2B | 106 | 0 | 242 | 316 | 18 | 67 |
| 1937 | BOS | 3B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 1 |
| 1937 | BOS | SS | 9 | 0 | 13 | 19 | 6 | 4 |
| 1938 | BOS | 2B | 14 | 0 | 27 | 40 | 3 | 12 |
| 1938 | BOS | 3B | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1938 | BOS | SS | 15 | 0 | 12 | 28 | 6 | 3 |
| 1939 | CHA | 2B | 19 | 0 | 41 | 68 | 2 | 13 |
| 1939 | CHA | 3B | 103 | 0 | 90 | 194 | 19 | 23 |
| 1939 | CHA | SS | 9 | 0 | 20 | 37 | 4 | 7 |
| 1940 | CHA | 2B | 65 | 0 | 128 | 170 | 13 | 27 |
| 1940 | CHA | 3B | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 1941 | DET | 3B | 11 | 0 | 12 | 20 | 1 | 0 |
| 1941 | DET | SS | 3 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| 1942 | DET | SS | 21 | 0 | 27 | 32 | 8 | 6 |
| 1942 | PHA | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1942 | PHA | SS | 29 | 0 | 50 | 68 | 6 | 10 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 3 |
| Second Base | 290 |
| Third Base | 218 |
| Shortstop | 669 |
| Right Field | 1 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1939 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 29th | 5.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1936 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 19th | 1.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1932 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 24th | 3.0 | 80 | 0 |